Annie the Owl bar is opening in Soho for one week only between March 19 and 25 and visitors will get to sip cocktails while meeting the six resident feathered friends.

However, a Change.org petition has since been launched asking Westminster Council to deny permission for the pop-up to go ahead, saying the bar environment would be stressful and dangerous to the birds.

It currently has over 2,000 signatures.

The petition acknowledges that profits from tickets sales will go towards conservation at the Barn Owl Centre, but states: ‘It is one thing to raise awareness of owls and the help that they might need to thrive in the wild, but it is quite another to tether them up in a cocktail bar and have people touching them and handling them.’

Adam Roberts, CEO of the Born Free Foundation, added: ‘Subjecting any wild animal to the noise and disturbance of a bar or nightclub setting is utterly irresponsible.’

To help alleviate concerns, the organisers behind the pop-up have now released a statement in which they confirm: ‘The owls belong to a professional falconry center and are accustomed to being around the public. A professional falconer will accompany each owl.’

They also say it will be sit-down event and that ‘noise and background music will be kept to a minimum’.

Finally, attendees will only be allowed two alcoholic drinks during the evening and will ‘only be allowed to come close the bird if the professional falconers feel it is right.’

Meanwhile, the organisers say the response from the public has been ‘overwhelming’ with over 44,000 people already entered into the ticket ballot.

A spokesperson for the pop-up said: ‘The whole experience is not around the two cocktails the attendees get. It’s around the owls and the love for them. Some people have an image of a night club/pub in London and owls left to fly around in the venue.

‘The pop up space where the event will take place is an art gallery with two floor and three separate rooms, giving us enough space to ensure welfare of the birds.

‘These owls are provided by professional falconers who will accompany them on the night alongside a member of staff/security. The owls will be at the venue for five hours during a night with an hour’s break after every two hours.’